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Level 6/410 Church St, North Parramatta
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T: 9841 444


Saturday 4 September 2010

ANITA – a ground-breaking film about disability: Sydney Latin American Film Festival

This year the Sydney Latin American Film Festival is proud to present a ground-breaking Argentine film featuring a magnificent lead performance by Alejandra Manzo an actress with Down syndrome.

ANITA- a young girl’s odyssey into the heart of Buenos Aires
Marcos Carnevale, 2009, Argentina, 106min, Spanish with English subtitles

Date: Sunday 5th September
Time: 5:45 for a 6pm start

Where: Dendy Opera Quays (with a second screening at Casula Powerhouse on September 19 at 2pm)

Tickets: Available at moshtix: http://www.moshtix.com.au/event.aspx?id=39093

Part of the proceeds of the Sydney screenings of Anita will be generously donated to Down Syndrome NSW.

While intellectual disability has been a theme in many well-loved films – and has garnered Oscars for actors like Geoffrey Rush (as David Helfgott in Shine), Tom Hanks (for his role in Forrest Gump) and Dustin Hoffman (in Rain Man) - rarely do we actually see actors with an intellectual disability on film.


“It is inspiring to see such a powerful performance from a young person with Down syndrome in a full length feature film. Following our own home grown star, Gerard O’Dwyer winning ‘best actor’ at Tropfest last year, this is confirmation that actors with disabilities can do so much more than simply playing the ‘token’ roles we have seen so often in the past” Steve Clarke, CEO of Down Syndrome NSW commented.

In Anita, Alejandra Manzo gives a moving performance of extraordinary emotional insight as a young woman who is lost and friendless in her city after a terrorist attack tears her neighbourhood apart. The story is based on the real life terrorist attack that targeted Buenos Aires’ Jewish community in 1994.

As many local Latin film fans would know, the Festival donates profits to selected community organizations in Latin America and Australia. With this particular screening, we’re pledging half the profits to our usual community support program with additional support shared between the Down Syndrome Association of Argentina and Down Syndrome New South Wales.

“Our commitment is to raise community awareness together with providing a fund raising opportunity for these two incredible non-government organizations,” said Jacqueline Andres, Western Sydney Festival Organiser. “Supporters will have the opportunity of enjoying this movie at two different venues, with screenings being held at both the Dendy Opera Quays and Casula Powerhouse.”

“I want to thank the Sydney Latin American Film Festival for making this film so accessible to a wide audience, raising the profile of people with disabilities in such an interesting way, and raising much needed funds to support families of people with Down syndrome” Steve Clarke said

The Sydney Latin American Film Festival is delighted to be able to present a film that highlights the experience of disability and that breaks new ground in creating a starring role for a young Down syndrome actress.

“We were so excited when we received this submission,” said Sarah Gilbert, member of the festival team and curator for the Argentine film submissions. “It really fits in with who we are as a festival and what we want to achieve in terms of making a difference – not only to the worthwhile organizations we are able to support, but with the kinds of stories we can bring to audiences here in Sydney.”

For further comment or information, please contact Sarah Gilbert on 0424 312 293, or Steve Clarke (Down Syndrome NSW) on 042 4044 930.

Read more about Anita and the Sydney Latin American Film Festival 2010 here.

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